1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fly fishing and more particularly, to a fly casting trainer and method of teaching fly casting to enable an instructor to impart a muscle memory of the proper casting form to a trainee.
2. Description of the Background
Fly casting raises the sport of fishing to an art, and recent publicity has sparked a renaissance in fly fishing. However, the proper casting technique is at least as complex yet not so well documented as the golf swing, tennis serve, etc. As a result, experienced instructors are finding themselves to be in great demand by novices seeking training.
The goal of fly casting is to deliver a substantially weightless fly to a pinpoint target, using line weight for momentum. Fly casting is the only way to deliver such light weight lures, hence the only way to catch a fish that feeds upon insects. A fly cannot be cast using conventional line because it cannot develop the necessary momentum. Thus, the fly-fisherman relies upon a weighted line to deliver the fly. The line may float or sink once it hits the water, but it has enough weight to deliver the fly many feet away. The thick fly line is separated from the fly by a monofilament leader. To cast the fly properly, the experienced fisherman will pull 8-10 feet of fly line out beyond the tip of the fly rod. The then pulls 20-30 feet of fly line off the reel and holds it, coiled, in his free hand. The fisherman then uses a quick rhythmic back-and-forth flicking motion, using right forearm and wrist, with the tip of the fly rod pivoting from vertical to horizontal. The fly line moves through the air in an elongate arc that opens up and flattens out as it approaches the water. Typically, this is done a few times without letting the fly hit the water, and each time some of the coiled fly line is released to lengthen the cast. Finally, the fisherman lets the fly, leader, and line settle gently to the water. The fisherman begins to retrieve line manually, and each pull of the line with the free hand makes the fly dart through the water as if it were alive. When the fly has been fully retrieved without a strike, the process begins anew.
The skill necessary to cast well is a combination of xe2x80x9ctouchxe2x80x9d, eye-hand coordination, and timing. With proper technique, the line should form a loop as the rod moves forward and then straighten beyond the tip of the rod, forming a line that is parallel to the ground. After the forward cast, a similar back cast retrieves the line. The line will travel back and forth properly given a proper back-and-forth motion of the forearm and rod, working together as a single unit. The forward cast begins with the elbow positioned comfortably at the side, at about waist level. During the back cast it should come up to the level of the shoulder, returning to that relaxed position at your side at the completion of the forward cast. The timing of the entire cast is important, and the tip of the rod should move in a straight plane often at or approaching vertical during the forward cast. Generally, it takes significant training and then practice to learn the proper casting technique. Since the technique is more a function of touch and feel, direct hands-on practice is a far more efficient way to learn than watching visual demonstrations, reading books, or watching video tapes.
There have been prior efforts to develop practice aids for fly casting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5.297,355 discloses a fly fishing practice device that uses a target that gives off visual or aural indications when the target is hit by a simulated fly. However, these are solely for use by the trainee.
For the instructor""s part, the most effective teaching method is to impart a xe2x80x9cmuscle memoryxe2x80x9d to the trainee whereby they can automatically replicate the feel and timing of proper fly casting. The same muscle memory approach has long been used by golf and tennis instructors with success. Muscle memory training preferably begins with the trainee following the instructor""s lead and gradually taking full control so that muscle memory can develop through repetition. This is readily possible in golf or tennis because the instructor can stand behind the trainee and exert as much control over the stroke as necessary, gradually relinquishing all control. However, the same approach is awkward with a fly rod since one hand is used for casting and the other for line control. Moreover, there are no known teaching aids that allow the instructor to participate in the trainee""s cast. It would be greatly advantageous to provide a training implement to enable an instructor to impart a muscle memory of the proper back-and-forth motion of the forearm and rod to a fly casting trainee.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fly cast training device that allows an instructor to take the lead in controlling the casting process while the trainee follows along and to gradually relinquish control to the trainee to instill the proper muscle memory through repetition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fly cast training device that allows an experienced fly fisherman to self-teach opposite-hand fly casting by instilling muscle memory from the experienced casting hand to the inexperienced casting hand.
According to the present invention, the above-described and other objects are accomplished by providing various embodiments of a fly casting training device and method of use thereof for teaching fly casting.
Generally, the device comprises a flexible shaft section, a butt section, a spool (a.k.a. reel) attached to said butt section, and a multiple-handle assembly attached between the flexible shaft section and the butt section. The handle assembly includes a plurality of handle sections secured together at both ends in a spaced side-by-side relation by a pair of brackets. The handle assembly may include two or three handle sections. The flexible shaft section and butt section may be attached to the supporting brackets centrally of the handles. Alternatively, a conventional fly rod may be used and a second handle attached to the existing handle and offset there from by said brackets. As yet another alternative, the handle assembly may be attached below the butt section.
In all embodiments (just as with conventional fly rods), the flexible shaft section and butt section may be integrally joined or may be separate sections connected by ferrules as is known in the art. The multiple-handle assembly may be constructed by die casting, forging, sand or injection molding, or any other appropriate and known methods of fabrication, and the multiple-handle assembly may be attached between the flexible shaft section and the butt section by rivets, bolts, welding, glue or any other known attachment means. Alternatively, the entire rod inclusive of the flexible shaft section, butt section and multiple-handle assembly may be formed as an integral unit by molding, die casting, etc. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention may be constructed other than as specifically set forth herein.
The present invention also includes the method for teaching fly casting using any of the above-described multiple-handle fly casting rods. The method comprises the steps of standing side-by-side with a trainee and gripping one of the handles while the trainee (grips the other, initiating proper fly casting while the trainee follows along, and gradually relinquishing control of the casting to the trainee to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting. Alternatively, the method comprises the steps wherein an individual grips both handles, initiates proper fly casting technique with the dominant hand while the weaker hand follows along, and gradually transfers control of the casting to the weaker hand to allow development of a muscle memory that is a reflection of proper fly casting, and to develop ambidexterity in casting.